Papercrafters’ Year In Review 2024

Hi everyone, my bloggy friend Ellie has organised a Year In Review blog hop, looking back at favourite makes of 2024, and asked for other bloggers to join in.  Looking at her lovely makes from throughout the year encouraged me at the last minute to look back at mine, and I decided to select a card from each month … so here goes!

January

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February

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March

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April

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May

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June

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July

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August

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September

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October

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November

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December

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One thing that struck me was that my favourites weren’t very evenly spread throughout the year - for some months I struggled to find a favourite (particularly June where I hardly did any crafting due to illness and an accident), whereas from late October I started working on my 2025 Lavinia calendar (it’s still ongoing!) and that provided several of my favourite makes for this year which I have sneaked in below.

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Over the course of the year I have managed to publish 108 cards, 78 ATC’s, 5 calendar pages and 2 tags .. I had no idea I’d been so busy! 

Huge thanks to Ellie for organising this fun review … do pop over to her blog hop to also see the fab makes by the other hosts. 

Take care, Happy New Year everyone and see you in 2025.

Hugs,

Festive Delights

Hi everyone, I hope you are all enjoying the festive period despite the murky and misty weather we’ve been having the past couple of days here in the UK. I said in my Christmas Day post that I would be taking a blogging break until after New Year, but a quiet day yesterday gave me the opportunity to make some last minute ATC’s for Tracy Evans December FB ATC swap on the theme Festive Delights.  

I have really enjoyed taking part in this swap all year, but the past couple of months have been both very busy and punctuated by bad colds, storm damage and various other problems in the run up to Christmas which resulted in me getting a bit behind with things, so I haven't made any ATC’s since October. I didn’t think I’d manage to make any for this month either, but happily I’ve managed to pull something together just in time … and here they are.

I cut 6 pieces of kraft card each 3.25” x 2.25”, and stamped each one randomly with tiny script from TE11 Background Elements using Sand Dune Versafine Clair, then stamped the number 25  in the top right hand corner using Portobello VFC. I stamped the tag 6 times onto a mid size snippet of cream card using Portobello VFC then stamped the holly and berries onto each one using Distress Oxides, and the word “Joy” in Sand Dune VFC. I’m sure I saw the idea of stamping the holly and berries onto the tag somewhere on FB but sorry I can’t remember where. 

 I cut 6 pieces of brown linen card stock each 3.5” x 2.5” from various snippets and matted the kraft card panels, then fussy cut the tags, punched a hole in each one, edged with blended Scorched Timber Distress Oxide and attached to the ATC base. I highlighted the holly and berries with gold Posca pen, added white Posca snowfall to the number 25 and snowflakes to the tags, then finished off with a jute twine bow on the tag repurposed from the packaging for one of Tracy’s orders. As they are all the same I also hand wrote a teeny identifying number 1-6 on each one with a brown fineliner pen.

Here’s a closeup.

Stamps: AALL & Create #984 Tag O Tag; Tracy Evans Boutique Designs TE21 Holly & Berries, TE19 Decorations, TE11 Background Elements, TE22 Christmas Wishes;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Barn Door, Mowed Lawn, Iced Spruce, Scorched Timber); Versafine Clair (Portobello, Sand Dune); Posca pens (gold, white);

Other: jute twine from Tracy Evans packaging.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Christmas Crafts All Year Round (December) - Bows, Gifts or Decorations (3rd entry)

Crafty Calendar (December) - Christmas (3rd entry)

Creative Crafters #83 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Dream Valley #327 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Fab ‘n’ Funky #607 - Anything but Square

Outlawz (December) - Anything Goes in a Card Free Zone (3rd entry)

Simon Says (Monday) - Cold and Frosty (2nd entry)

Simon Says - Celebrating 20 Years of Distress #SSS20YearsofDistress

Snippets Playground #496 - Use Snippets

Word Art Wednesday #679/680 - Anything Goes (4th entry)

That really is me done now crafting-wise for 2024, so here’s wishing everyone a Happy New Year.

Take care, and thanks for visiting,

Hugs,

Merry Christmas Everyone

Hi everyone, Christmas Day is here at last, so I’m following one of my annual traditions of scheduling a post for the card I made for my husband, as I never publish it before I’ve handed it over to him on Christmas morning 😀🎄

This year I was inspired by Lavinia’s  latest Christmas robins Bobby and Jemima. I think I’ve mentioned previously that I didn’t think I liked them when they were first released, but as I have seen more and more beautiful makes with them and various colouring options they have really grown on me. I’ve only used them a couple of times before, so I’m still very much at the experimental stage with colouring them but I thought I’d give it a go! 

Originally I was hoping to produce a card using the beautiful techniques from a tutorial by Lisa Taggart, but I couldn’t get the watercolour background to work for me no matter how hard I tried, so I decided to go in a different direction and make a mistletoe wreath (what else for a romantic card?) to host the robins. 

I cut a 6” square of white stamping card (it was meant to be slightly bigger but after a couple of failed attempts I measured it wrongly and didn’t realise until later!) and created a circle using a mask and blended Elements inks. I stamped the branch (with leaves wiped clean of ink) and robins using Pinecone VFC, then added Mini Holly leaves in 1st/2nd generation using Rain Forest VFC. I stamped a wreath of Christmas Mistletoe around the circle using Grass Green VFC and I filled the gaps with 2nd generation Mini Mistletoe, then added a further piece of Mini Mistletoe in Bobby’s beak and some little hearts ❤️.

 I coloured the robins and branch using a mixture of Zig pens and white Signo pen, the holly berries with red Signo pen topped with Sakura Stardust pen, the mistletoe berries with white Posca pen topped with Spectrum Noir sparkle pen, and the mini mistletoe with clear Sakura Stardust pen. I added white Posca snow on the branch topped with Stickles, and Posca falling snowflakes. I matted the panel onto a green frame and 8” square card blank, and finished by stamping, cutting out and attaching the sentiments. Unfortunately I was rather rushing by the end so have suffered bleed through of colour on the snow on the branch and a couple of the snowflakes, which no amount of touching up has covered! Luckily my husband just loves the fact that I make him a card, and knows that I did my best! 🥰

Stamps: Lavinia Bobby, Jemima, Vine Branch, Christmas Mistletoe, Mini Mistletoe, Mini Holly, Group of Hearts Mini; Uniko Christmas Wishes, Fizzy Moon For Him;

Media: Lavinia Elements ink (Della Blue, Dark Denim); Versafine Clair (Pinecone, Rain Forest,  Grass Green, Strawberry, Nocturne); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Signo pens (white, red); Sakura Stardust pens (clear, red); Posca pen (white); Spectrum Noir sparkle pens (clear): Stickles glitter glue.

Challenges I would like to enter:

613 Avenue Create (December) - Anything Goes with option Any Winter Holiday (3rd entry)

As You Like It (December) - Anything Christmassy (3rd entry)

Crafty Calendar (December) - Christmas (2nd entry)

Creatalicious #284 - Anything Goes with option Christmas (3rd entry)

Creative Crafting Uncles #60 - Christmas and/or Happy New Year (3rd entry)

Festive Friday (December) - Christmas (3rd entry)

Inspired By #315 - Christmas (2nd entry)

Lavinia Creative Challenge (December) - Snow Is Falling (3rd entry - picture without sentiments)

The Male Room #193 - Anything Goes

Papercraft #113 - Under the Mistletoe

Peace On Earth #78 - Anything Christmas Goes (3rd entry)

Pearly Sparkles #102 - Christmas (2nd entry)

Rudolph Days (December) - Anything Christmas Goes

Simon Says (Monday) - Cold and Frosty

Sweet Stampin’ (December) - Christmas Creations (3rd entry)

Triple B (December) - Birds, Blooms and/or Butterflies (2nd entry)

Word Art Wednesday #679/680 - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

I’m taking a little blogging break now until after New Year, so I’d just like to thank everyone who has visited my blog and left kind comments during the year - I really appreciate your support. 

Finally I would like to wish to all those who celebrate it a very Merry Christmas, and to everyone a happy, healthy, peaceful and creative New Year xx ❤️

Hugs,

Christmas - the Last Batch

Hi everyone, I sat down one day this week to make a final “production line” batch of CAS Christmas cards for hand delivery and managed to produce the following fundamentally similar one layer cards with the main differences being the colours and sentiments. 

I stamped the baubles on each card using various shades of Versafine Clair, then stamped the holly branches using two tone stamping. I hand drew the bauble strings with fineliner pen, shaded the baubles using Zig pens and white pastel pencil, then added sparkle with Spectrum Noir sparkle pen. I added a little background stamping in grey, then stamped the sentiments in black. I added white Posca and Signo pen highlights to the baubles and holly, and a sparkly outline to each bauble to finish. Sadly the photos don’t catch the sparkle at all .. such dull and miserable weather we’ve been having! 

Stamps: Tracy Evans Boutique Designs TE22 Winter Wishes, TE21 Holly and Berries, TE18 Decorations; TE 11 Background Elements (card 6); sentiments -  Woodware Christmas Sparkle (card 2); Visible Image Poinsettia Grunge (card 4); Uniko Christmas Wishes (cards 3 & 5);

Media: Versafine Clair (Bali Blue, Charming Pink, Verdant, Summertime, Baby Pink, Arctic, Lilac Bloom, Very Peri, Hawthorn Rose, Avocado, Shady Lane, Morning Mist, Nocturne); pastel pencil (white); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Sakura Stardust pen (clear); Spectrum Noir sparkle pen (clear); Posca pen (white); Signo pen (white).

Here’s one where the baubles and holly were stamped using Distress Oxides rather than VFC.

Stamps: As above;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks (Picked Raspberry, Twisted Citron, Peacock Feathers; Mowed Lawn); all other media as above.

Challenges I would like to enter:

Card 1 (above)

As You Like It - Anything Christmassy (2nd entry)

Daring Cardmakers - Word Prompt - Happy

Inspired By #315 - Christmas - WINNER

Simon Says -  Celebrating 20 Years of Distress #SSS20YearsofDistress

Simply Clean & Simple (December) - Anything CAS Goes (2nd entry)

Card 2

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Pick a Previous Theme (Sparkle)

Creative Crafters #83 - Anything Goes

Creative Moments #265 - Sparkle and Shine (3rd entry)

Dragonfly Dreams (December) - Christmas (3rd entry)

Sweet Stampin’ - Christmassy Creations (2nd entry)

Card 3

613 Avenue Create (December) - Anything Goes with option Any Winter Holiday (2nd entry)

The Holly and Ivy #174 - Anything Christmas Goes (3rd entry)

Krafty Chicks #747 - CAS

Little Red Wagon #787 - Merry Christmas - TOP 5

Pammie’s Inky Pinkies #2450 - Anything Goes

Card 4

Creatalicious #284 - Anything Goes with option Christmas (2nd entry)

Creative Crafting Uncles #60 - Christmas (2nd entry)

Dream Valley #327 - Anything Goes

Sparkles Christmas #167 - Feature a Christmas Song or Carol 

(Deck the Halls) - TOP 3

Card 5

Christmas Crafts All Year Round (December) - Bows, Gifts or Decorations (3rd entry)

Dream Factory #134 - Christmas Again! (3rd entry) - TOP 7

Pearly Sparkles #102 - Christmas

{PIN}spirational #320 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Card 6

Crafty Calendar (December) - Christmas

Peace On Earth #78 - Anything Christmas Goes (2nd entry)

Tracy Evans FB Create, Share, Inspire (Nov/Dec) - Christmas/Festive Project (6th entry)

Word Art Wednesday #679/680 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Phew! As much as I love making Christmas cards, I think I’ve had enough for this year now, so apart from my darling husband’s card that’s my Christmas makes finished for 2024.

Take care, and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Winter Wishes

Hi everyone, with Christmas hurtling towards us I am now at the stage of making a few last minute cards for hand delivery - here’s another of the fairly simple cards I managed to make in a recent crafty session.

I created a one layer card blank using a sheet of 30cm x 15cm Pink Frog super smooth card, so I could stamp and blend inks straight onto it. I created a moon and  softly defined sky by blending lilac dye ink around a circle mask, then stamped a tree three times - once in Nocturne VFC, then again using 1st & 2nd generation Monarch. I added a couple of snow drifts using my Mini Hill masks and blended Elements ink, then stamped background wording and number 25 in Morning Mist to add a bit of interest. I added some white and sparkly highlights to the moon, trees and snow, then stamped the main sentiment in Monarch. I finished off by adding some white Posca snow spatters. Very straightforward, but I was pleased with how it turned out.

Stamps: Tracy Evans Boutique Designs TE23 Winter Delights, TE22 Christmas Wishes;

Media: Spectrum Noir Harmony dye ink (Pale Fig); Lavinia Elements ink (Graphite); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Monarch, Morning Mist); Sakura Stardust pen (clear); Signo pen (white); Posca pen (white);

Tools: Lavinia Mini Hill masks and circle masks. 

Challenges I would like to enter:

12 Months of Christmas #117 - Anything Christmas Goes (4th entry)

Crafter’s Cafe #314 - Anything Goes with option Monochrome (2nd entry)

Creative Inspirations (December) - Let It Snow! (2nd entry)

Everybody Art #570 - The Letter W (winter)

Four Seasons (December) - Anything Goes Winter (3rd entry)

The Holly and Ivy #174 - Anything Christmas Goes (2nd entry)

Tracy Evans FB Create, Share, Inspire (Nov/Dec) - Christmas/Festive Project (5th entry)

Word Art Wednesday #679/680 - Anything Goes 

Take care and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

Snow Dome

Hi everyone, Christmas is fast approaching now … how are your preparations coming along? I have mostly finished making my Christmas cards - I just need to make a few more CAS ones for the neighbours and my husband’s card which I always seem to leave until the last minute! This is the last of this year’s posted cards for other close family/friends, which is for my husband’s aunt. It’s my first outing for the Moon Jar sticker stencil to make a dome, though I have previously used the base when making a smaller round snow globe here.

I cut a piece of white stamping card and attached the sticker stencil “outer” then used the “inner” to mask the base which I shaded with Scorched Timber Distress Oxide. I then created the dome with blended Elements ink. I added a few snowdrifts with blended Elements and mini hill masks, then stamped the tree + Annie and Edward. I added a star to the top of the tree stamped in Versamark and heat embossed gold, then added mini holly round the top and base of the dome, and a couple of fairy foragers. I coloured the tree with fine brushstrokes of Pine and Olive Elements topped with Spectrum Noir sparkle pen. I drew baubles in the fairies’ hands with black fineliner, then coloured the tree baubles and holly berries with Posca sparkle pens, and the fairy wings with Sakura stardust pens. I added a few white Signo and Posca highlights, then my sentiments in black, highlighted with Sakura Stardust pen. 

I couldn’t resist adding a couple of tiny robins which I stamped in Sand Dune then coloured with Zig pens and white Signo pen - I rather wished I hadn’t done that afterwards as I need quite a bit more practice colouring them but never mind! I added some Posca snowflakes falling and gathering at the base of the dome, and after matting onto a green frame and C5 card blank I added a little red bow to finish.

It’s another sparkly one …

Stamps: Lavinia Christmas Joy, Annie and Edward, Fairy Foragers, Mini Holly, Small Robins, Seasonal Words, Christmas Greetings;

Media: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide ink (Scorched Timber); Lavinia Elements inks (Della Blue, Pine, Olive); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Shady Lane, Rainforest, Acorn, Sand Dune); Versamark; WOW gold metallic embossing powder; Posca sparkle pens (red, yellow, green); Posca pen (white); Sakura Stardust pens (red, yellow, clear); Spectrum Noir sparkle pen (clear); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens;

Tools: Lavinia sticker stencils set 9 - Moon Jars, White Orbs stencil, acetate Mini Hill masks.

Challenges I would like to enter:

As You Like It - Anything Christmassy

Cardz 4 Galz #240 - Christmas 

Christmas Crafts All Year Round (December) - Bows, Gifts or Decorations (2nd entry) - TOP PICK

Crazy Is Our Fame, Stencils Are Our Game (December) - Use a Stencil - WINNER

Creatalicious #284 - Anything Goes with option Christmas

Creative Crafting Uncles #60 - Christmas and/or Happy New Year

Creative Inspirations (December) - Let It Snow! (2nd entry)

Creative Moments #265 - Sparkle and Shine (2nd entry)

Double Trouble #181 - Anything Goes with option Use a Bow (2nd entry)

Festive Fridays (December) - Christmas (2nd entry)

Heart’s Quest Fantasy Challenge #12 2024 - Anything Fantasy Goes (2nd entry) - WINNER

Inkspirational #331 - Use Stencils

Lavinia Creative Challenge (December) - Snow Is Falling (2nd entry)

My Time To Craft #549 - Something Snow Related

Peace On Earth #78 - Anything Christmas Goes

Sisterhood of Crafters - Christmas (2nd entry)

Sadly some of our Christmas preps have been a bit derailed due to the storm damage last weekend, so my husband had some painting and fence mending to do and consequently we are a bit late getting our Christmas decs up this year. Nonetheless it’s starting to feel pretty Christmassy now!

Take care and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,

The most wonderful time of the year

Hi everyone, today’s cards are from a small batch of CAS one layer cards I made for hand delivery. I made them very similar except that I kept one completely CAS, and the other I added a bit more background stamping … not sure which I like the best! I think though I may be making a few more of these as the bauble stamp is ideal for quick makes.

I created a one layer card blank by scoring Pink Frog super smooth 30cm x 15cm card, then stamped the baubles using Strawberry and Green Oasis VFC. I stamped the foliage several times in the top corner using a mix of Shady Lane and Rainforest VFC, then shaded the baubles using Zig pens and Spectrum Noir sparkle pen. I hand drew the bauble strings with a fine liner, then added some background stamping to card 2 in Morning Mist VFC and the sentiment in Nocturne.  

Here’s a closeup of each card.

Card 1

Stamps: Tracy Evans Boutique Designs TE18 Decorations; AALL & Create #806 Fallen Leaves; Uniko Christmas Wishes;

Media: Versafine Clair (Strawberry, Green Oasis, Shady Lane, Rainforest, Nocturne); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Posca pen (white); Spectrum Noir sparkle pen (clear).

Challenges I would like to enter:

12 Months of Christmas #117 - Anything Christmas Goes (3rd entry)

Cardz 4 Guyz #362 - Holiday/Christmas Card or Tag

Christmas Kickstart #93 - If It’s Christmassy Link It Up! (3rd entry)

C.R.A.F.T. #744 - Christmas - The Last Stretch

Krafty Chicks #746 - Christmas

Make My Monday #240 - A CAS Winter Card

Pammie’s Inky Pinkies #249 - Anything Goes

Simply Clean & Simple (December) - Anything Goes

Sisterhood of Crafters - Christmas

Card 2

Stamps: Tracy Evans Boutique Designs TE18 Decorations, TE22 Christmas Wishes, TE 11 Background Elements; AALL & Create #806 Fallen Leaves; Uniko Christmas Wishes;

Media: As per card 1 + Versafine Clair (Morning Mist).

Challenges I would like to enter:

Christmas Crafts All Year Round (December) - Bows, Gifts or Decorations

Creative Moments #265 - Sparkle and Shine

Daring Cardmakers - Bright

Double D - Christmas Ornaments (2nd entry)

The Holly and Ivy #174 - Anything Christmas Goes

Sweet Stampin’ - Christmas Creations

Tracy Evans FB Create, Share, Inspire (Nov/Dec) - Christmas/Festive Project (4th entry)

Word Art Wednesday #677/678 - Anything Goes (5th entry)

That’s all from me for today - take care and thanks for visiting.

Hugs,